David Parker
Senior Member
I have often read threads on the subject of loosefeed on the main forum, but they can become quite 'heated' debates and sometimes the real learning gets a bit hidden. If I were a newcomer to barbel fishing, or had been fishing a while but wasn't getting the results I had been hoping for, one of the things I'd be wanting advice on is how much bait to feed on different sorts of river and in varying conditions. For me, after fish location, getting the approach to free offerings right is the key to success.
So what would you say are the best ways to approach feeding a swim? Under what conditions does it make sense to introduce no freebies at all? When might you be a bit more liberal in your approach?
To avoid generalisations I suggest we try to include the following:
type of river (i.e. small, low clear or large and coloured)
type of bait
stock levels and numbers of competing species
how many other anglers are on the water
My own experiences are limited to various stretches of one river which happens to be fairly small and clear, and isn't really stuffed full of barbel. I'm often alone during day sessions, but it receives a bit more attention after dark. There aren't massive numbers of nuisance species - a fair few chub, hardly any bream or carp.
I introduce modest amounts of feed - usually one small baitdropper, hemp and small amounts of little pellets. I use loosefeed on this clear river as a way of locating fish. Once I know where they are I cut back on freebies, although still trickle very small amounts in from time to time to keep them in feeding mode. And to gently 'spook' the fish out of the swim if I need to recast for any reason. They soon return if it's bait that spooks them out.
Generally I am fishing for one or two fish in a swim at a time. Then move on.
In winter I use boilies wrapped in a matching paste, introduced with a very small PVA bag with two crushed boilies. And trickle small amounts of paste in over the top by hand.
On my river I think heavy feeding would be fatal, but can see how it might make sense in other contexts.
How would you describe the basic principles of feeding a swim to a relative newcomer?
So what would you say are the best ways to approach feeding a swim? Under what conditions does it make sense to introduce no freebies at all? When might you be a bit more liberal in your approach?
To avoid generalisations I suggest we try to include the following:
type of river (i.e. small, low clear or large and coloured)
type of bait
stock levels and numbers of competing species
how many other anglers are on the water
My own experiences are limited to various stretches of one river which happens to be fairly small and clear, and isn't really stuffed full of barbel. I'm often alone during day sessions, but it receives a bit more attention after dark. There aren't massive numbers of nuisance species - a fair few chub, hardly any bream or carp.
I introduce modest amounts of feed - usually one small baitdropper, hemp and small amounts of little pellets. I use loosefeed on this clear river as a way of locating fish. Once I know where they are I cut back on freebies, although still trickle very small amounts in from time to time to keep them in feeding mode. And to gently 'spook' the fish out of the swim if I need to recast for any reason. They soon return if it's bait that spooks them out.
Generally I am fishing for one or two fish in a swim at a time. Then move on.
In winter I use boilies wrapped in a matching paste, introduced with a very small PVA bag with two crushed boilies. And trickle small amounts of paste in over the top by hand.
On my river I think heavy feeding would be fatal, but can see how it might make sense in other contexts.
How would you describe the basic principles of feeding a swim to a relative newcomer?
